Regulator announces third Castlebeck service to close

17 August 2011

Arden Vale in Meriden, Solihull, is to close ahead of the conclusion of legal action by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Castlebeck Care (Teesdale) Limited has agreed to close the service, which provides care for adults with learning disabilities and mental health problems. The decision comes after CQC served a legal notice proposing to remove Arden Vale from the company's registration, which would mean they could no longer provide care at this site.

Arden Vale will close by next Thursday (25 August). This will allow the company and commissioners, such as the local authorities and primary care trusts, the opportunity to ensure that the people living there can be found suitable care alternatives.

Andrea Gordon, CQC's regional director for the West and East Midlands, said: "CQC raised serious concerns about the care provided at Arden Vale, and demanded improvements. When we did not see evidence of these improvements, we took action to protect people by initiating the legal process required to close a service.

“Castlebeck has responded to our action by agreeing to close the service on a voluntary basis. Throughout, CQC has been working closely with the local safeguarding authority and the organisations paying for the care of people at Arden Vale to ensure that people living at the service are safe.

"When CQC published reports into all 23 Castlebeck locations at the end of last month, we identified four services where we had significant concerns. Arden Vale will be the second of these locations to close; Rose Villa in Bristol closed last week. A third service, Winterbourne View, was closed following CQC action in June. We continue to monitor all Castlebeck services very closely."

CQC made unannounced inspections of Arden Vale on 3, 13 and 14 June 2011. Inspectors had major concerns with 12 of the 16 essential standards care providers are expected to meet, including safeguarding, the care and welfare of people who use services, requirements relating to staff, and the management of medicines. Specific concerns included inappropriate use of restraint, and the ways in which staff were recruited to meet the specialist needs of people living there. An inspection report detailing the findings of these visits is published on CQC's website.

Following these inspections, CQC raised concerns with the provider and demanded that improvements took place. When this did not happen CQC informed Castlebeck it intended to remove this service from the company's registration and began the legal process required to ensure this. Castlebeck then agreed to voluntarily close Arden Vale.

Ends

For further information please contact Louise Grifferty, Regional Communications Manager, on 07717 422917 or the CQC press office on 0207 448 9401 or out of hours on 07917 232 143.

Notes to editors